CBFP Mission to Libreville: Minister of State François Xavier de Donnea discusses with technical and financial partners

The CBFP Facilitator had several working meetings with, amongst others: Ambassador François Fall, Special Representative of the United Nations SG for Central Africa; the Deputy Secretary General of ECCAS, Ms. Marie-Thérèse Mfoula; Ambassador Helmut Kulitz, accompanied by Mr. Jean Huchon and Ignacio Sobrino from DUE and Ms. Muriel Soret from the French Embassy; representatives of the ADB, the World Bank and UNODC in Libreville.

The Minister of State François-Xavier de DONNEA, Belgian Facilitator of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership was received at UNOCA on 7 March 2019 by Ambassador François Fall, Special Representative of the United Nations SG for Central Africa. The main issue discussed was security challenges facing biodiversity in the region.

Mr. Fall stressed the importance of the N'Djamena Declaration for UNOCA initiatives in this area, particularly with respect to transhumance and especially the activities of Mbororo pastoralists in the Central African Republic and northern DRC.

The CBFP Facilitator held talks with the Deputy Secretary General of ECCAS, Ms. Marie-Thérèse Mfoula. During this meeting, the Facilitator and his delegation introduced the CBFP’s planned activities for the remainder of 2019 and requested ECCAS’ input on the way forward.

Speaking with the representatives of the ADB, Mr. Masumbuko, and the World Bank, Ms. Ouedraogo, in Libreville, the CBFP Facilitator revealed plans to organize a dialogue on financing development projects forest dwelling and local populations in protected areas between the CBFP Regional College and the Technical and Financial Partners’ College in Malabo, on 12 June, on the eve of the Council meeting. He also thought the project was relevant. Both the ADB and the WB agree to be present in Malabo on 12 June where the ADB will also be holding its General Assembly from 11 to 14 June.

Following his tour of the financial partners, the CBFP Facilitator met with Mr. D'Hoore, the UNODC representative in Libreville. They touched on projects aimed at helping the Congo Basin as part of a two million euros grant which Belgium awarded to the UNODC.

CBFP News

"For over three decades, the Montreal Protocol has done much more than shrink the ozone hole; it has shown us how environmental governance can respond to science, and how countries can come together to address a shared vulnerability. I call for that same spirit of common cause and, especially, greater leadership as we strive to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change and mobilize the ambitious climate action we so urgently need at this time." UN Secretary-General António Guterres

The 6th edition of the Africa Agri Forum will be taking place for the second year in a row in Libreville, from 24 to 25 October to cement Gabon’s central place as an emerging hub of agriculture in the region.

The international symposium is open to the entire scientific community (especially promoters of SED2D-backed projects) and actors in the management and valuing of plant biodiversity, subject to prior mandatory registration (free) and depending on the symposium’s seating capacity . Those who wish to make a presentation must sign up for one of the thematic sessions listed below. Presentations can be either take the form of an oral presentation or a poster (A0 format) which can be presented in plenary along with a 2 min pitch

Dozens of heavily armed poachers on horseback attacked wildlife rangers of the Forest and Fauna Guard (GFF) stationed in the Binder-Lere Wildlife reserve. Seven (07) elephant carcasses were found throughout the reserve by GFF wildlife rangers tracking the poachers. The poachers came from Cameroon.

Brazzaville-Republic of Congo, 28 July- 1st August 2019. Two multi-institutional capacity building workshops on investigations into wildlife crimes were held for law enforcement officers at the Mikhael’s Hotel.

Signing of MoU (Collaboration Agreement) OCFSA- Luska Agreement on the sidelines of two multi-institutional capacity building workshops for law enforcement officials on wildlife crime investigation held from 28 July to 01 August 2019 in Brazzaville (Congo).

On the sidelines of the celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (JIPA 2019), the Indigenous Peoples’ Network for Forest Ecosystem Management (REPALEF) held a press briefing on 9 August 2019 in the Arche Room in Kinshasa, Gombe The main item on the agenda was the launch of the month’s activities focusing on indigenous peoples’ across the DRC.